Skip to main content

This auction has ended. View lot details

You may also be interested in

Own a similar item?

Submit your item online for a free auction estimate.

Lot 136Y

Pete Townshend/The Who: A group of parts from Pete Townshend's smashed Gibson guitars,
1960s/70s,

Withdrawn
Amended
10 December 2015, 12:00 GMT
London, Knightsbridge

£6,000 - £8,000

Pete Townshend/The Who: A group of parts from Pete Townshend's smashed Gibson guitars,

1960s/70s,
comprising: a neck, stamped serial 303159 (1974-75), no fingerboard; another similar, stamped serial 162553, (1970-75); and a third, with fingerboard/frets and machineheads, headstock marked Les Paul Junior, indistinct inked serial, possibly 63012, possibly 1963; and an SG Special body, re-finished in 'gold' sunburst, contoured, double cutaway, four controls and one three-way selector, small laminated scratchplate, with 'Guru' sticker, together with a statement of provenance

Footnotes

The statement is from Christopher Eccleshall, musical instrument maker, dated 24th Oct '04, confirming that 'These assorted guitar parts are the remains of some of the guitars I rebuilt for Mr. Pete Townshend, of ''The Who'' pop group, during the course of the 1970's...'. According to Ecceleshall, the body is from a 1962 SG Special and the unmarked necks from a Les Custom and a Les Paul Standard.

The SG Special is perhaps the single model of guitar that is most associated with Pete. In the period 1968-71 Townshend usually used models from 1966-1970 but did sometimes use pre-1966 examples, featuring the small scratchplate, especially in 1971 when examples of the favoured model became difficult to find.

Literature: www.thewho.net

Saleroom notices

Lot withdrawn

Additional information

Bid now on these items

Jean Shrimpton: A Tank-Style Shrimpton Watch Gifted By Terence Stamp, 1966,

Ozzy Osbourne (British, 1948-2025): Portrait of Terry Wogan filmed on the Paul O'Grady Show, 2005, 2

Marlene Dumas (South African, born 1953): A print, with dedication "Say it in Broken English", 2014,

Carrie Fisher (1956-2016): Her personal trunk, Gifted to Marianne Faithfull,

Mick Jones: A Signed Bond Electraglide Electric Guitar, 1984-1986,

Roger Waters: A Group Of Documents Relating To The Development Of His Solo Album, Radio K.A.O.S., 1980s, 3

2001: A Space Odyssey, MGM, 1968,

Gary Moore: A Gibson Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar, known as 'Stripe', 1959,

Gary Moore: A Takamine EF-456S 12-String Electro-Acoustic Guitar, 1982,

Bernie Krause (b. 1938) Day & Night in Gombe, 2025

Gary Moore: A Marshall Model 1987, JMP SL50 Amplifier, 1969,

Gary Moore: A Gibson Les Paul Junior Electric Guitar, 1955,

Gary Moore: A Modified Charvel San Dimas Electric Guitar, 1982,

Gary Moore: A Hamer Custom Gary Moore Electric Guitar, 1984,

Gary Moore: A Marshall 1962 Model Combo Amplifier, circa 1970,

Gary Moore: A Marshall Artist 2040 Combo Amp, 1970s,

Gary Moore: An ESP 400 Series Electric Bass Guitar, 1986,

Gary Moore: A Heritage C.M. 150 Gary Moore Signature Model Electric Guitar, 1989,

Gary Moore: A Marshall 1959 Model, JMP SL100 Amplifier, 1971,

Gary Moore: A Marshall Model 1992, JMP SB100 Amplifier, 1972,

Gary Moore: Blue System Leather Jacket With Skull And Rose Motif, 1980s,